That's going to hurt tomorrow

Late start today. I went back and forth deciding what I should do even though I had plans to meet someone to do core and to work on my swimming technique. I knew it had to run. The problem: Indoors our Outdoors.

After talking to my friend Colin (pictured in the previous post with the Butterfingers and bag of empty Reeses Cups, 14 to be exact) and found out when he got home from consuming 1,810 calories of candy with 184 grams of sugar all while watching the 2 hour airing of the 2010 Hawaii Ironman, got on his bike for 2 hours and then went out for a fast 5k run. I knew I had to go outside for a 10k run.

Running on white sandy sidewalks was not going to be easy. I've ran on that type of sand more times than I haven't and knew it was going to be more of a strength then speed training working. I told myself yesterday that I needed to step up my game. I've been too compliant and too comfortable in my workouts. I'm training for an Ironman - there is nothing comfortable about an Ironman except for the comfortable bed at the end of that day.

JJ's 4-hour class brought me to tears about my performance. Even though I lowered my wattage which meant I should've performed much better, I was cramping up more then I was the past month I've been going to his class. It even got to the point when JJ looked over at me and said I need to come more often which in his nice calm way was saying he was disappointed in my performance. The way he said in a calm tone was far worse then someone yelling at me that I was sucking. I can't handle the silent disappointment.

So from that moment on I knew I needed to get to the gym and hit the weights and work on my core like I used to a few years ago. I was pretty damn strong.

After an hour rest from my run I went to the gym to focused on core for 1.5 hours. This week I maybe walking like I'm an old lady but I know I'll get over it and if I continue hitting the weights and the core...I will be better.

I really need to find new friends

I'm not sure if I'm associating myself with the right set of endurance friends and their training styles.

 

On the left you have Andy training for 2011 RAW (Race Across the West)

On the right you have Colin training for 2012 Wisconsin Ironman or for 2011 short course Tri's.

There are 4 sports I have to master?

This past week I learned core is the key to my Ironman success and also I have a lot of homework to do.

I started to train with this older guy I met in spin and swim class.
He pulled me off to the side and said "How is your core"
Me, "I like to do core work but I need to work on it."
Old guy, "Your not training for only 3 sports your training for 4 sports. Core being the 4th sport."
Me, "Great I guess I have some homework to do. I'll fit it in after I finish my morning bike/run, stressful day at work, second workout of running after work and before I pass out."
Old guy, "Ok. Let's meet at 5am everyday before swim class to work on core."
Me, "Ok. What's another 15 minutes of sleep."
I recently found out this guy was training for the Olympics and is by far one of the best swimmers in town. Who am I to argue with his recommendations. I just say, "Ok. When?"

Jonny J:
"You can do all the biking, running and swimming but what puts someone into the next level is core work."

Today, I did interval sprint training with my friend Colin. After our run he wanted to to do some strength training.
Colin, "Here stand on this boosu ball with one leg."
After wobbling like a old laundry machine he looked frustrated and said, "ok try this"
Little bit better on this foam mat but not by much we did a few strength training moves - which I sucked at!
During our after work coffee chat Colin said, "I've trained 64 year old women that have better stability then you do."
Me, "Great. I guess I have some homework to do."

Emotional Block = Mental Breakdown

Last Tuesday I received some devastating news about my manager who is also a very good friend. He's been battling cancer since he was 17 and is now 33. He's had 5 different types of cancer and has beaten them all. Currently he's been struggling with a tumor in his brain that has been stable but he found out in his round of test it's growing. Worst yet, it's spreading. It's hard to see him struggling to read, walk or just trying to function for more than an hour without getting dizzy. At work my job is to fix problems - this is one problem I can't fix but I wish I could help relieve the stress somehow. Although he's my manager he's also a great friend to me so I was extremely devastated to hear his struggle in life has just gotten harder.

When I first started to think about doing an Ironman I remember sitting in the Bistro at our office with him and saying I had this crazy idea. Without much thought he said to do it. After I explained why I asked him first since it's going to take a serious commitment on my end and would need my employer to understand working 12 hours a day wasn't going to work. He immediately said to do it and for the next month he kept saying I should do it every time I brought it up.

So for the next 10 months and for the final 12-17 hours on September 11, 2011 - I will be pushing my body to limits I've never been and when I have those mental breakdowns from now until then, as I did many times this past week, I will think about my close friends and my father that struggled emotionally, mentally and physically through the toughest battle of their lives and so far have won.

Great job guys - cowbells for you!

Progress

After all this hard work I’m finally starting to see progress. They are baby steps but I read somewhere you need to celebrate the small accomplishments.

The other day I took Jonny J’s 4-hour spin class. The week prior was a complete disaster. I didn’t eat properly so I bonked at the 2-hour marker. This week I went in much more prepared. Minus the flat on the trainer – who the hell flats on a trainer? And the cramping in multiple areas in my thighs all you could do is laugh because I wasn’t the only one taken down at the end of the 4-hours by the nasty cramp monster. Overall, I had a really good work out!

Most importantly I learned a few things about running that I will take with me along my training journey.

On Sunday I went to the gym to swim - learned a few things from Michelle last week on technique so I wanted to practice my learnings and also to run a little on the treadmill. Jon said not to go crazy since we were working our legs pretty hard the day before so I did an hour in the pool followed by a 3 mile run.

I couldn’t believe it! I felt strong in the pool – even tried to race a slow swimmer next to me, and during the run I could breathe!!! Kind-of a big deal lately. Thinking I could pick up running pretty easy since I did a marathon and all, but that’s not the case. Once you stop running you have to earn it all back! That’s how the game is played in the world of running. So, lately my running has sucked. A snails pace, I may say, and on the verge of passing out. Using Jon’s techniques I was able to run those three miles faster and still be able to feel as fresh as the first couple of steps. I was elated on my progress!

Today I went to Master Swim class. When Michelle put down the paper on what our workout was going to be for the day I knew I was in immediate trouble. “NAVY Seals Training”. What the hell is that! Never a good title to a workout for someone who is just learning what the hell she is doing. It was a combination of swimming and strength training out of the pool (yeah in our swimming suites – not pretty) and diving into the pool. Aside from the improper way I dove – or should I said belly flopped – into the pool it was really fun and made the relentless thoughts that go through your mind be secondary to the hurry up you have to run around the pool and do push-ups. 

Figuring it all out.

Apologies for being delinquent in my posts. I’ve been either working or at the gym. Getting a routine down and being able to keep moving without going into a coma or hitting the 2:30 daily bonk has been a challenge.

I’ve been trying to dial in the workouts, figuring out what are my priorities right now in my training and what do I need to do to make sure I’m not over doing it.

So, here has been the plan

Monday – rest day

Tuesday – (am) Master Swim. (pm) Lately it’s been rest but will soon be run or spin.

Wednesday – (am) Spin. (pm) Run with my friend Colin - easy run for him hard run for me.

Thursday – (am) Master Swim. (pm) Nothing right now but will soon be run or spin

Friday – (am) Total Conditioning and spin. (pm) Rest

Saturday – (am) 4 hour spin class. (pm) Rest

Sunday – (am) Spin/run or swim

It’s been fun meeting new people long my journey. What I’ve found is the sport of triathlon, especially Ironman, is such a small group. Everyone knows someone. Take for example, Michelle the master swim instructor, knows everyone in my Thursday/Saturday spin class and a few other people at the Maple Grove spin class and on my cycling team. I met her in Wisconsin this year at the Ironman. She was wearing a Hollywood Cycle jacket and struck up a conversation with her about her getting into cycling – although I didn’t now she was “The” Michelle everyone talked about for swim classes. Until her first class and she said "were you at Madison this year?"

There have been some interesting realization within the past couple of weeks. I might go as far as call them fun realizations. First, with swimming, you’re not only working on your technique but also your more or less working on your patients to learn that one little detail, apply it. Learn another little detail, apply it, etc. Over time those little details become progress. As for threshold for pain – pain is temporary. It may be longer then just a few minutes and seem like a lifetime you just have to keep telling yourself you’ll be ok once the task at hand is over. One other thing I’ve learn is no matter how tired you are as long as you are there mentally you can tell yourself to breathe and keep going. A key takeaway when at a group class when your getting told to do one more set but make it harder or faster is not to complain. Those trainers, although calm, likes to make sure you have respect for them and their training. 

Happy First Day of Ironman Training!

Today I’m officially training for the WI Ironman. I have no idea what that means or what that entails but for the next 10 months I’m “Training”.